Senegal Predicted XI – Will Ndiaye get selected ahead of Diatta against England?

20:33 SAST 2022/12/03

The African champions hope to overcome the Three Lions and progress further in the competition

As Senegal look forward to taking on England in the Round of 16, coach Aliou Cisse is not expected to tinker much with the team that defeated Ecuador.

Cisse, however, will not have Idrissa Gueye, who is ruled out of the knockout game after he received a second booking during the Ecuador clash. Gueye’s absence adds to the list of unavailable players, as Cheikhou Kouyate, who sustained an ankle injury, is not expected to feature.

To progress to this stage, the Teranga Lions finished second – behind the Dutch – in their group while England topped their pool.

GOAL predicts how Senegal could line up against England at Al Bayt Stadium:

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Edouard Mendy

Cisse has kept faith in the Chelsea goalkeeper even though he was at fault in the opening game.
He has been showing signs of improvement since then but has struggled to keep clean sheets.
But against England, Mendy should be an outright starter for the Teranga Lions.
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Youssouf Sabaly

Sabaly should line up at right back as Cisse is expected to retain his defensive unit that stood up to Ecuador and ensured they progressed.
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Ismail Jakobs

Although he did not start in the opening fixture against the Netherlands, Jakobs has been the preferred choice at left back in the last two games.
That is not expected to change as Senegal face an even tougher challenge against Gareth Southgate’s men.
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Kalidou Koulibaly

The centre-back scored the winning goal against Ecuador, which all but booked a place for Senegal in the last 16.
Being the team’s leader and an experienced star, expectations are high for the Chelsea defender to be rock solid at the back as Senegal seek a chance to reach the last eight.
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Abdou Diallo

With his partnership with Koulibaly solidifying after every match, the England game is another challenge that will test how intact they can remain regardless of the opponent.
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Pathe Ciss

With Idrissa Gana Gueye not available after bookings, Ciss – who came on for Nampalys Mendy in their encounter against Ecuador – should fill the void.
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Nampalys Mendy

Mendy was a key midfield figure for Senegal in the group games.
Although he was substituted in the 74th minute against Ecuador, his place in the starting XI is almost certain.
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Pape Gueye

With the absence of his namesake, the Olympique Marseille midfielder needs to work extra hard in order to give the African champions a competitive edge against the Three Lions.
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Iliman Ndiaye

He made his first start in the tournament against Ecuador as Krepin Diatta was dropped.
Ndiaye – who played for 75 minutes as the Teranga Lions outsmarted the South Americans - should keep his right wing spot ahead of Diatta on Sunday.
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Ismaila Sarr

With the absence of Sadio Mane, Sarr has covered the left-wing position successfully.
A first-half penalty against Ecuador set the tempo for Senegal to go on and win their last game, to book this date against England.
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Boulaye Dia

Cisse has continuously trusted Dia to be the main striker for the West Africans.
Against England, the Salernitana forward is expected to get the nod ahead of Famara Diedhiou.